The Corvid’s Chicks
by Hapless-Ace
Summary: A commission I was paid to write; What if Qrow happened upon Ren and Nora days after the Nuckleave attack, and took them in instead of leaving them in the same Mistralian Orphanage system he ran away from. Watch as Ren and Nora grow up with a family, and Qrow learn that maybe he isn’t as curses as he thinks.
1. Finder of Lost Children

If there was one thing that Qrow Branwen hated at times; which he'd rank up there with hangovers, girls who play him up for free drinks, Salem's flunkies, the SDC, and many other things, was long boring treks through Anima. Seriously he knew that these outpost towns, and villages that wanted to live outside the kingdoms needed protection, but one village being a couple days late checking in didn't sound like the huge catastrophe that Leo made it out to be. He continued flapping his wings just taking in the natural beauty of Anima, one of the few things he'd missed from his childhood as a bandit.

He took note of the storm clouds forming, hopefully he could get to that Inn before it began to rain. A warm bed, a nice stiff drink, maybe a cute waitress to get to know; all things that promised a great evening before he went to report back to Oz. Ewww

When he'd gotten bored of the scenery Qrow found his thoughts drifting back to his conversation with Leo about the situation, and how he promised to help. Despite how much of a hardass he liked to pretend he was, he truly was a real softie at times; no way he'd ever admit that out loud though. He didn't want to give Tai more ammunition for his obnoxious behavior.

_Qrow sat in Leonardo Lionheart's office in Haven academy as he stared at the picture of, an admittedly handsome man in green with a bow. "So what am I looking at here Leo?" Qrow asked the faunus._

"_This is Li Ren, one of the founders of Kuroyuri, he's one of the few huntsmen who helps keep the peace within the village's lands." Lionheart explained _

_Qrow nodded along still not following Leo's meaning behind this Li guy. "Alright that's good to know Leo, but how does this involve me?" Qrow didn't mean to sound as annoyed as he did, but he preferred it when people spat these things out._

"_Well Qrow, since you're business in Mistral has concluded I had hoped to ask for a favor from you," Lionheart said as he stopped projecting the image of Li Ren from his desk's omputer terminal._

"_I take it the favor involves our friend you were showing me?" Qrow quirked a brow already having a good feeling on what Leo meant to ask of him._

"_Yes, Li hasn't checked in with the Huntsmen boards, and word is a rather ancient Grimm has been spotted some ways away from there in the past. Please if you would be so kind as to check on the village." Leo had informed Qrow._

_Qrow for the most part raised his brow again at Leo's request since there had to be local huntsmen who could do that for him, but he sighed not seeing much of a reason to argue since one of his favorite inns wasn't to far from that village give or take how fast he could fly._

"_Sure Leo, I'll go check for ya." Qrow told his friend as he stood up from his seat. "Just be sure to inform Oz for me about why I'm late."_

_Leo smiled, and nodded to Qrow. "I'll have him informed the moment you leave Mistral's walls." he told his friend, already making plans to contact Ozpin._

"_Alright, later Leo." Qrow said as he left the office of Haven's headmaster. Once he was sure that Harbinger was secured, and no one was watching, he transformed into his bird form, and flew off in the direction Kuroyuri was located._

Qrow soon found he was taken out of his thoughts as he'd noticed a trail of damaged trees, and ruined earth ahead of him, and quickly prepared himself for whatever he had to expect. He'd landed just outside of Kuroyuri's main gate before he walked in with caution. He hadn't been prepared for what he saw though.

An entire village reduced to nothing but rot, decay, ruin, and death. He saw men, women, and children alike had lost their lives this day. The children were always the worst parts to these missions, it was so easy to place Yang. and Ruby amongst those poor lost souls that would never live to see adulthood. Using every ounce of willpower in his body Qrow stopped himself from reaching for his hidden flask, he needed to be sober for this.

"Is anyone here?" He called out hoping there were survivors he could help. Part of him hoped this wasn't due to Raven, and the tribe; though even that more optimistic side of him that still had hope for his twin sister wasn't that convinced this hadn't been her fault in some capacity.

Qrow had found himself so on edge that the sound of a man coughing had startled him enough to draw Harbinger. "Who's there?" he called out as he followed the sound of coughing, but he made sure to keep his guard up. He followed the coughs right to their source, and was shocked to see that it was the man that Leo had shown him not to long ago, Li Ren.

"Easy buddy." Qrow said trying to help the broken man as best he could. Judging from how beat up his body was, and how critical his condition looked to be; Li's aura was broken, and he needed better medical attention than Qrow could hope to provide.

Li looked to Qrow, and in a strained voice spoke to the other man with the last of the energy he had inside of him. "Please, my son." Li coughed as he looked into Qrow's eyes.

Qrow felt a lump growing in his neck as he'd heard Li speak the world son. "Your kids?"

"Please, save him. Lie ran off with a girl, to safety from Grimm." Li gasped as he spoke his last breaths, before he grabbed Qrow's arm. "Please save them both." he spoke before he finally went limp in Qrow's arms

Qrow didn't flinch much at seeing Li Ren die before his eyes, he was used to these things after years of being a professional huntsman, but hearing that there were little kids out in the woods with a Grimm that can cause this much havok running around didn't sit well with him. He'd laid Li down before using his fingers to close the other man's eyes, and raced off into the forest after shifting into his bird form again.

'Gotta find those kids.' Qrow thought to himself as he tried to fly as fast as his wings could carry him. The search would be a long, and strenuous, but he'd been able to locate tracks they looked fresh, and judging from them, the tracks of two children trying to survive in a forest that Grimm infested.

Without skipping a beat Qrow had transformed back into his normal form before he began to search for the children with his hands close to Harbinger, ready to strike any Grimm that dared rear its ugly head. "Come on where are they." He said to himself, scanning around for them heavily.

Unfortunately Qrow didn't get much time to think for very long as he heard a loud scream, no a wail, that shook him to his very core. That wasn't the wail of your average Grimm, experience taught him that this one had to be three things: big, mean, and ancient.

"Damnit." He cursed more towards his semblance affecting things in general than the Grimm. Without thinking he'd drawn Harbinger as he felt the ground shaking, and as he steeled himself for battle an odd sense of serenity cane over him.

Qrow couldn't help but look over himself as he felt so different, as I'd every negative emotion he'd been feeling was gone. "What the?"

When Qrow has finally looked back up, after questioning what was going on, he'd ended up staring up at the face of a giant Grimm that looked like a rider on horseback, Nuckleave he recalled. The more battles these things lived through as they aged, the more deadly they became. If Qrow were a gambling man he'd bet from how many weapons were sticking from this thing's back meant that he'd been taking his lumps for decades.

"Your move pal." Qrow Said coldly as he waited for the Nuckleave to attack, but it turned around as if Qrow hadn't been there. "That's new."

"It can't see you." A voice said to him from nearby, startling Qrow into lowering Harbinger.

"Who's there?" Qrow asked trying to keep an intimidating tone while he searched for the source of the voice. He'd heard rustling in the bushes to his left, and watched as two children emerged. A boy dressed in fancy, albeit dirty, green clothes, and a little girl who looked like she was from Mantle.

Qrow sighed as he'd put Harbinger away so he came off as less of a threat. "Uh hey, I take it you're Lie?" Qrow mentally kicked himself because Tai and Summer were better with civilians, especially civilian kids.

The boy nodded before speaking. "Y-yes, how did you know?" He'd asked Qrow, he was somewhat shocked that an adult with a huge weapon knew his name.

Sensing what was going on Qrow lowered himself to his knee. "It's ok kid, I'm a huntsmen. I was sent to check on your village by the headmaster of Haven. Your dad told me to find you."

"My father is he?" Hoped seemed to have returned to the young boy at the idea of his father possibly still living.

Qrow sighed as he'd tried his best to suppress his feelings, this part….it was always this part that he hated the most. Having to tell his friend's families that they wouldn't be coming home…..having to explain to Ruby and Yang why Summer wasn't coming home while Tai barely kept it together….

"I'm sorry kid…" Was all Qrow said as he saw tears leave Lies eyes while the serene feeling seemed to leave him. It didn't take much for Qrow to put together that this was the kid's semblance, and it was what kept them safe for so long.

"Look kid I know this is hard, but we have to go fast." Qrow looked up seeing the storm clouds were worse, and judging from how the kid looked, he was about to become a Grimm magnet. The tell tale stomps of the Nuckleave seemed to emphasize his point.

"Shit." Qrow looked to the startled little girl who had been quiet the whole time this was happening. "Take him, and hide." He told her before drawing Harbinger.

"W-what?" She finally spoke in a small stuttered voice.

"I don't need you two getting hurt while I fight this thing, so please hide." Qrow tried to tell her gently, but he didn't know how long they had until the Nuckleave made its presence known.

Thankfully the girl finally understood as she grabbed Lie's hand, and quickly told him. "Come on." Before disappearing back into the brush.

Once he knew the children were safe Qrow has raised Harbinger, and pointed his weapon at where the Nuckleave would reveal itself. Soon Qrow has found himself face to face with the Nuckleave, and he didn't waste any time before the creature could let out its sickening wail as he fired from Harbinger's shotgun getting the Nuckleave's horse throat before moving to circle it, and continue firing.

The Nuckleave roared out in anger, and pain as the human's weapon continued to pierce into it's flesh. The large Grimm howled as it brought it's arm down to slam into the puny human that dared oppose it. Within moments the human had disappeared into nothingness, but there was no evidence the Nuckleave killed him. Within seconds the Nuckleave howled in pain as it's lower body's back had been cut open, causing it to buck wildly in pain.

"Yeah you don't like that do ya?" Qrow said as he swung Harbinger's scythe form around effortlessly before charging the Nuckleave again, intent on taking one of its heads off. Just as he was about to swing he heard the screams of one Lie Ren who was charging forward to stab at the Nuckleave's legs to stab it with a dagger.

"Kid no!" Qrow said as he quickly transformed to get to Ren before the Nuckleave's hand could. In one fell swoop Qrow had transformed back from his bird form to his human form, and used his momentum to protectively grab Lie before they just barely moved out of range of the Nuckleave's attack.

Lie's little outburst had taken Qrow so far out of his combat mode that he'd just now noticed the storm that had started around them, but he didn't have time to reflect on that since Lie was fighting him for freedom.

"Kid stop it!" Qrow yelled at Lie as he continued dodging the Nuckleave's attacks.

"Let me go! It killed my parents!" Lie fought Qrow whole the rain was making it hard for the older man to tell I'd Lie was crying, or just covered in the rain.

"I don't care, you're acting reckless and can get yourself killed!" Qrow said back to Lie before he lost his footing causing them both to fall just inches from the Nuckleave's attack.

"Shit." Qrow began to aim Harbinger again hoping the gun had enough shells to take at least this thing's arm off fast enough, but that didn't look like it was the case.

"LEAVE THEM ALONE!" The little girl's voice cried out as she was throwing rocks at the Nuckleave to distract it from attacking Qrow, and Lie. "YEAH I'M TALKING TO YOU!" She continued to holler much to Qrow's surprise.

"Run kid!" Qrow yelled at the girl when he noticed the Nuckleave was focusing on her with a swipe of its massive claw, but he was too late as he saw the claw collide with the girl. In that moment he saw Yang's face on the girl's body and flew into a rage as he charged at the Nuckleave, and in one swipe of Harbinger's sword mode he'd taken its arm off.

The Nuckleave howling in pain didn't matter to Qrow, what mattered was seeing if the girl was ok. He'd hoped that when he saw her the wound wouldn't be deep, but was surprised to see the signs of her aura pulsing, and he silently thanked whatever gods were out there. "Kid what were you thinking?" Qrow asked her now very concerned for her well being.

"You and Ren were gonna her clobbered." She said defiantly, gone was the quiet girl who barely uttered a syllable to him. Qrow couldn't help but let a twinge of a smile form on his lips, the girl had guts he'd have to give her that.

"Either way, stand back I better finish this thing off now." Qrow stood up as he glared at the Nuckleave that looked like it was on the verge of retreating via charging through them before he looked to Lie, or Ren as the girl had called him. "Lie."

The boy looked to Qrow when he'd called his name. "Yes?" He asked the older man, his tiny voice still held some of the edge of a man out for revenge, but he knew that Qrow was the more experienced between them.

"Can you do that trick you did, you know make me invisible to it?" Qrow asked as he readied Harbinger again.

"Yes sir." Lie said as he tried to follow Qrow's line of thinking.

"I need you to use it on me as close to the last minute as you can. I know how to immobilize this thing." Qrow said as he started converting Harbinger back into a scythe. "Can you do that?" Qrow asked Lie

Lie could only nod as he looked to Qrow, and got ready. No sooner than he'd caught onto Qrow's plan did the Nuckleave finally charge forward ready to trample the humans only for the bigger human to suddenly disappear from its sight. Sadly it didn't have long to process this as it shrieked out in agony as it's lower half toppled over, its legs had disappeared, no had been sliced off.

The Nuckleave continued to shriek as it looked to Lie, seeing the pure hatred the small human radiated. The large Grimm started to reach out for the boy only for Lie to scream and charge forward, and begin to repeatedly stab the Nuckleave with the dagger in his hands. The Nuckleave let out one last shriek as it's body began to wilt away into nothingness, leaving a panting Lie whole fell to his knees.

Lie could only look at the area where the Nuckleave had once been as he gripped his knees after dropping his father's dagger before tears began to fall from his eyes again. He'd done it, he'd avenged his mother, his father, and himself...yet he felt so hollow...he just wanted wanted his parents back now, but he knew they weren't coming. He wouldn't have continued his sobs further were it not for the girl he'd been hiding with, Nora, hugging him, and a hand placed on his shoulder.

"You saved us Ren." Nora said to her friend as she hugged.

"Yeah, you did good kid." Qrow said knowing how hard this must have been on Ren before standing up. "You as well um."

"Nora." The girl said going back to her more quiet persona.

"Yeah, well come on you two." Qrow said as he stood up.

"What, why?" Ren asked

"It's a long way back to Mistral, and I'm sure the headmaster of Haven will know how to keep you safe." Qrow said as he looked out the corner of his eyes seeing a familiar black bird with red eyes watching them with its head tilted. "You two probably don't need anymore surprises in your life." He said more to the bird than the two.

Not long after the bird had flown away from the retreating forms of Qrow and the two children. As it flew lower, and lower along the forest floor it was replaced with a lone woman wearing a mask styled after a Nevermore's, this woman was Raven Branwen leader of the infamous Branwen bandit tribe.

"So dear brother still as soft as ever." She spoke coldly at her brother taking those two children in, though the boy had caught her eye she would admit. A semblance that makes you invisible to Grimm, that was more than valuable. It was a shame her brother got to him first, but there was always time to sway the boy to join her; she'd even take the girl too if she had to. Thought there was a pressing matter to attend, valuable semblance or not Sakura disobeyed her. That girl, the spring maiden was much too soft for her liking, and her powers were wasted on her…seems she would have to deal with her personally.

"You've disappointed me for the last time Sakura, I said make sure no survivors left Kuroyuri..." Raven said to herself as she unsheathed her Ōdachi, and cut the air opening a portal to a meadow where a pink haired woman who'd been sitting alone in a flower field.

"Master." The younger woman didn't turn around to address Raven.

"Sakura, I take it you're enjoying time to yourself?" Raven notes how this one meadow seemed to be sunny, and clear despite the area around it having heavy rains.

"Yes, I wanted to clear my head." The younger of the two women said. "Master I don't think I'm right for the tribe."

Raven grasped her Ōdachi firmly. "The strong thrive, while the weak die Sakura…."

"That doesn't sound right, the strong should protect the weak." Sakura said as she stood up to look at Raven, she'd never seen the red blade aimed at her heart coming sadly ...at least the last thing she'd seen was Raven looking at her with some remorse as the life faded from her pale eyes….


	2. Kinder Keeper

Getting to Mistral after saving those kids from that giant Grimm hadn't been a fun ordeal for Qrow, but it was worth it knowing they were safe. He'd taken the time to get them some food since they had to have been starving by this point, and truth be told he could use a bite himself.

"So Ren, Nora are you two alright?" Qrow asked the two kids as he'd finished taking a bite from his own food. He felt the need to break the silence...well as much silence as they'd had with how much Nora seemed to loudly eat the food that she kept ordering.

"Yes, thank you mister Branwen." Ren said as he looked up at Qrow from his bowl of noodles. The boy had definitely been doing better from what Qrow had seen, then again he'd known that Ren, in his mind, had avenged his family.

Qrow just shook his head before correcting Ren "Hey I told you just call me Qrow."

"Thanks for the food Qrow." Nora said after finishing what must have been her third bowl of food. Qrow just thanked the gods that Oz, and the Council of Vale, reimbursed him for this kinda stuff so he definitely would be keeping his receipts for later.

"Hey no need to thank me since you two have probably been starving for something other than whatever you could forage for in the forest." Qrow really didn't need praise for acting like a decent human being, especially from kids. He'd have done the same regardless of them currently being his responsibility until he worked something out with Leo.

"Leo you can't be serious?" Qrow was surprised he had to even ask his friend this. He'd been hoping to find somewhere he could take these kids to help them, but what Leo had suggested had brought back memories for him.

"I'm sorry Qrow, but it's out of my hands. Unless they have a guardian who can take them in they'll have to go to an orphanage." The headmaster of Haven academy tried his best to explain to Qrow why'd had to be this way.

Qrow clenched his fist as he remembered his own days in one of Mistral's orphanages. He, and Raven had the misfortune of being placed in one of Mistral's lower level orphanages before they ran away to the tribe back during its more nomadic days.

He clenched his fists as he remembered having to fight for what little food they'd been allowed, or the adults in charge barely treating them like they were worth more than an afterthought. He didn't know how these kids could cope with that, and he certainly wouldn't wish that on them.

The next words that came out of Qrow's mouth would have stunned anyone that knew him; hell they'd stunned Qrow as well as he'd said them. "What if I said I was willing to be their guardian Leo?" Qrow said much to the surprise of the Lion Faunus.

If it wasn't for the serious look on Qrow's face Leo would have thought that the other man had been joking. True Qrow was an uncle to his former teammate's daughters, but this was a shock since he was essentially saying that he would take in two orphans of a Grimm attack.

"Well Qrow then I'll have the paperwork drawn up and submitted to Mistral's child welfare office so you can be legally recognized as their guardian. Even then that's going to take a few days, so I can put you up in a house since you probably expected to be back in Vale by now." Lionhearted said as he began pulling up the proper paperwork on his computer terminal.

Qrow sighed as that wasn't even the half of it, he'd honestly expected to have reported to Oz about what he'd observed by now; yet here he was still in Mistral. "Yeah I know that Leo, which is why I'm gonna have to call Oz when I get to that house. Just make sure those two kids are there too."

Lionheart looked thoughtful for a moment with his hand on his chin before he nodded. "Normally I wouldn't Qrow, but since I know you well I can do just that. I'll even have some good prepared for you all as well."

"Thanks Leo." Qrow smiled before getting up to leave. "I'm gonna at least get those kids some new clothes while the place is prepared."

"Very well Qrow." Lionheart said before going back to focusing on the paperwork on display on his terminal. Part of him still couldn't believe that Qrow was taking two random kids in, but that man was always full of the most random surprises.

Outside the room Qrow looked to where he'd left Ren, and Nora; the two had kept themselves entertained with something that Leo had given the two. "Hey you two, come on."

Nora was the first to look up and tilted her head at Qrow. "We going somewhere?" She asked Qrow.

Qrow snorted before walking over to the two of them. "Yeah to get you two some clothes. Can't have you two wearing the same thing everyday."

Ren looked down at his clothes which had been far more dirty than his mother had ever allowed him to be. "That's a fair point miste...Qrow, but what did the headmaster say?" The little boy asked the older man.

"He said that you're staying with me at a house near Haven while some paperwork gets sorted out, after that you two are coming with me to Vale." Qrow shrugged trying to play it nonchalant as it slowly dawned on him that he'd essentially adopted these two kids.

'Oh god, if Summer knew about this she'd just say I'm the biggest softie ever.' Qrow groaned internally as he could feel the shortstack's trademark grin on his back.

He'd been snapped out of his thoughts by Nora grabbing his hand, and he'd looked down at her. "What's up?"

"You're really getting us new clothes?" She asked Qrow, and if he didn't know better he'd have guessed she sounded hopeful.

If he'd had to guess, Qrow would have assumed that the little girl wasn't used to getting new clothes, gifts, or probably both. Damnit Summer would be calling him so soft right now if she could.

"Yeah Nora I figure you two could use about ten new outfits, and I'm good for it." Qrow really would need to save these receipts since he had a feeling Oz would owe him a lot by the time he got back to Vale.

"That's a lot of pink." Qrow said as he saw all the clothes Nora picked out for herself. He knew some girls loved pink, but that was a lot.

"Well Renny has a lot of green." Nora stuck her tongue out at Qrow.

Qrow sighed as the quiet girl he'd met earlier seemed to have a lot more spirit than he'd given her credit for. 'Yup she's definitely gonna get along great with Yang.'

"Green is my favorite color though." Ren said, looking at Nora.

"And pink is mine." Nora stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world of Remnant. "So I'm going to wear as much of it as I possibly want."

Qrow couldn't help but chuckle at this, she definitely would get along great with Yang. "Alright kid you made your point. Just be sure to get some socks and underwear too."

"Alright alright." She said while rolling her eyes to Qrow before running off to find some of the said items that Qrow recommended she get.

"Same goes for you too Ren." Qrow said to the boy who was currently looking at a green Mistralian outfit for himself.

"Alright ." Ren told the older man before wandering off to find his own undergarments.

Qrow sighed before calling out to Ren. "I said just call me Qrow." If he was honest with himself the two couldn't be any more opposite than possible, one was a rude ball of energy that seemed to not trust anyone she saw, and the other was so formal to a t.

Qrow sighed having to resist the urge to take a swig from his flask. This was it, he was officially becoming a guardian to some kids he'd met a day or so ago. If Raven or Summer were here right now they'd probably never let him live it down, and Tai would be saying something about him losing his edge, or that he was going soft.

The sound of a body hitting the floor had snapped Qrow out of his thoughts as he looked to Nora, and sighed. "Get yourself two new pairs of shoes too."

'Geez kid, I know living in the woods is tough, but your shoes look like they're held together by a prayer.' In all his years of life Qrow had never seen shoes worn so ragged before. He couldn't help but wonder just what all Nora had to have gone through to have such frayed sneakers that looked ready to fall apart.

Nora was about to open her mouth again, and Qrow quickly intervened. "Yes they can both be pink." Honestly, this girl was starting to remind him of Ruby with her obsession with the color red, specifically the red cape that she loved so much.

"You too Ren." Qrow said to the boy, motioning him to follow Nora along as he paid for their clothes. "You're going to need more than one pair of shoes too."

Ren looked down at the shows that he had on, and could see why Qrow would suggest he get a new pair. In the span of the time he and Nora had spent in the woods, his shoes looked like they'd seen a war zone. "Ok Qrow." Ren responded to the adult before catching up to Nora to get two pairs of shoes.

Qrow has to keep himself from smiling as he fished his card from his wallet, and paid for the clothes that both kids picked out. 'Damnit, Yang and Ruby are definitely making me soft.' He mentally tries to justify his actions as his nieces influence him.

Just as Qrow was about to take the bags of clothes, the clerk stopped him. He was confused why she was looking at him with such a pleased expression. "I just want to say sir it's really nice of you to help those poor kids out."

Qrow couldn't help but scan her face right now, usually when women said that to he always thought that was reserved for guys who were some kinda sleezes in hiding, but this seemed….genuine.

"Uh thanks, really it's nothing I was in their shoes not too long ago. At least until I met some people who helped me see I was an idiot." Qrow spoke fondly as thought of Summer, Tai, and Ozpin crept into his mind. Especially Ozpin, he still felt some phantom pains from the older man using his cane on him.

"Well either way, I think you're doing a wonderful job with those children. The world could use more men like you in it." The woman smiled brightly to Qrow before handing him his bags.

Qrow was surprised by that, and even had an amused look on his face. "Heh I wanna doubt that, but thanks." He accepted the bags from the woman before he'd gone off in search of Ren, and Nora. The rest of his time spent shopping made him question if this was right; he was a functioning alcoholic, not to mention his semblance tends to ruin things for him and everyone around him.

Qrow couldn't help but reach for his flask until the sound of Nora squealing caught his attention. He'd seen that she was currently stomping around in pink light up shoes that had little lightning bolts on them. She's broken out into the widest grin he'd seen on her face thus far.

"So it looks like you can smile." Qrow said to the now giggling Nora as she watched her new shoes light up in the mirror.

"These...are...AWESOME!" Nora's voice reverberated across the store, drawing the attention of several on looks. Many were amused that a little girl found such amusement in her new shoes, while some couldn't help but roll their eyes and mutter 'kids'.

Qrow turned his attention to Ren after he'd seen Nora grab her another pair of shoes to go with her new light up sneakers like Qrow instructed. "I take it you found some shoes too Ren?"

"Yes Mr. Branwen." Ren held up two pairs of simple shoes, one was a set of sneakers the other were similar to the ones he was currently wearing.

Qrow wasn't gonna chastise him over his preferences, but he hung his head. "That's great Ren." He didn't even bother correcting the boy to call him Qrow again either...

The trip back to Vale was uneventful, and Qrow had left the two kids to wait outside of Ozpin's office, he'd been surprised Oz offered them some of his precious hot chocolate though.

"So that's your entire official report for the council Qrow?" Ozpin asked Qrow.

"Yeah Oz, on record I was in Anima helping out with the spike in Grimm activity because I know the area since I grew up there, and helped Leo with the incident of that mountain village. Off the record I was checking to see if she was spreading her influence." Qrow answered his mentor.

Ozpin nodded as he scanned over Qrow's official report. "There is the matter of the children though, why did you exactly adopt them Qrow?"

Qrow had been caught off guard by the why, or that Ozpin could seem to not cast any judgement with his words. It truly was one of those times that he wished he could lie to the old man because he hated sounding sappy.

"There's Not much reason to it Oz, you know my past." Qrow answered as if it were obvious.

Ozpin couldn't help but sigh, he knew Qrow's past all too well because he'd seen it happen to many individuals in his multiple lifetimes. "Yes I'm aware Qrow, it's a shame that in this day in age so many children are failed by the system in place."

"Yeah...it's hard to imagine how many kids ended up like me, and Raven did. Especially when they don't have people like you, Tai, or Summer to help them out." Qrow ran his hand through his hair as he recalled how much of a shithead he'd been his first year and a half at Beacon.

Ozpin couldn't help but smile, and give that little chuckle that always promised something Qrow could never specifically place other than maybe a promise for something good to come. "Well lucky for those two that they have you Qrow." Ozpin told his friend with the utmost sincerity.

It was Qrow's turn to chuckle, only his was a bit more sardonic in tone. "Well then that's depressing Oz."

"Not it isn't Qrow, just trust me." Ozpin told his friend before dismissing him so he could submit his report to the council.

Watching Nora, and Ren play with Yang, and Ruby felt so odd to watch. The kids barely knew one another an hour, and already they seemed to be getting along like a house on fire.

"So that's their story?" Tai asked Qrow as he watched the kids from the deck in the back of his cabin.

"Yeah Tai, it is." Qrow hasn't really expected Tai to just listen in silence as he recounted the tale of how came into the guardianship of Ren, and Nora.

Tai didn't say a word as he continued to watch the kids, and Qrow couldn't help but worry now...yeah he lived with Tai without paying rent, but he still contributed to the family's income, it's just now there were extra mounts to feed.

"Look Tai, I know your place doesn't have that much room in it as is. I can start apartment hunting once I get situated, and—" Qrow was interrupted by Tai putting a hand on his shoulder.

Tai was giving Qrow that same bright grin he'd given him back in Beacon, specifically when he'd gone out into Vale their first month in as Team STRQ, and picked a fight that tai had supported him in. That grin that always read 'I got this.'

"Qrow it's alright, you've been there for me for a long time, hell you're my oldest friend. After everything helped me through these last two years do you honestly think I'm going to kick you out because you took in some kids, you're dead wrong." Tai's words certainly lived up to his grin.

Qrow couldn't help his shock, yeah two years since Summer….Qrow didn't really think Tai would take it as a debt or anything like that; he just didn't want to see what was left of his family fall apart.

"Thank Tai." Qrow said to his friend.

Tai patted Qrow on his shoulder, and smiled. "No problem buddy, but you're going to be helping me convert my den into a bedroom for those two. I'm thinking they'll love bunk beds."

That was certainly a shocker, he'd figured Tai would have them room with Ruby, and Yang. "Heh giving up the Tai cave?" Qrow asked

"Eh, I was getting tired of it anyway; it was making me skip out on training more, and we can't have this six pack turn into a keg. It's a disservice to all the men, and women who see me shirtless when I go for a run." Tai patted his stomach for emphasis on his statement.

"Heh, yeah can't have them suffering Tai." Qrow chuckled, maybe things were going to be alright after all.

A continent away back in Anima a young girl was glaring harshly at Raven Branwen. She's just been a random orphaned member of the tribe, but Raven hand picked her, and unlocked her aura for whatever reason she deemed necessary. The last eight months had been nothing but constant training for her under Raven, and that other girl with the weird powers who hadn't returned with Raven the other day.

Talk was that she'd run off, but many knew what truly happened. They knew what happened to the other girl, she met her end by Raven's blade. Many agreed it was for the best since the girl's heart was so soft, and she'd been among the many that agreed.

Raven stared back at the girl, she'd looked so class in age to Yang; maybe a little older. "So Vernal, are you done?" Raven chastised the girl who was standing over a downed man.

"What more can I do Raven?" Vernal asked, as she turned her gaze to the injured man before her.

"Simple, he's weak...and what do I always tell you?" Raven asked the girl as if the answer was simple.

"The weak die, the strong live. Those are the rules." Vernal answered Raven as she raised her blades while the man begged for his life, only to be swiftly silenced as his blood stained the ground.

"Very good Vernal." Raven said to her protégée, she'd make a fine second in command as well as a decoy to hide who the true Spring Maiden was.


End file.
